title: Modulation of the frequency of spontaneous sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release events (Ca2+ sparks) by myoplasmic [Mg2+] in frog skeletal muscle.
abstract: The modulation by internal free [Mg2+] of spontaneous calcium release events (Ca2+ "sparks") from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was studied in depolarized notched frog skeletal muscle fibers using a laser scanning confocal microscope in line-scan mode (x vs. t). Over the range of [Mg2+] from 0.13 to 1.86 mM, decreasing the [Mg2+] induced an increase in the frequency of calcium release events in proportion to [Mg2+]-1.6. The change of event frequency was not due to changes in [Mg-ATP] or [ATP]. Analysis of individual SR calcium release event properties showed that the variation in event frequency induced by the change of [Mg2+] was not accompanied by any changes in the spatiotemporal spread (i.e., spatial half width or temporal half duration) of Ca2+ sparks. The increase in event frequency also had no effect on the distribution of event amplitudes. Finally, the rise time of calcium sparks was independent of the [Mg2+], indicating that the open time of the SR channel or channels underlying spontaneous calcium release events was not altered by [Mg2+] over the range tested. These results suggest that in resting skeletal fibers, [Mg2+] modulates the SR calcium release channel opening frequency by modifying the average closed time of the channel without altering the open time. A kinetic reaction scheme consistent with our results and those of bilayer and SR vesicle experiments indicates that physiological levels of resting Mg2+ may inhibit channel opening by occupying the site for calcium activation of the SR calcium release channel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lacampagne
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D019044:Image Cytometry; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007700:Kinetics; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011894:Rana pipiens; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / Q000378:metabolism; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium